who's who

1 of 2

noun

ˌhüz-ˈhü How to pronounce who's who (audio)
variants often Who's Who
Synonyms of who's whonext
1
: a compilation of brief biographical sketches of prominent persons in a particular field
a who's who of sports figures
2
: the leaders of a group : elite
3
: a listing or grouping of notable persons or things

who's who

2 of 2

phrase

variant of who is who

: the identity of or the noteworthy facts about each of a number of persons

Examples of who's who in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The reception was packed with a who's who and just as the doors opened, the crowd divided like the Red Sea. — Arkansas Online, 15 Feb. 2026 Her client list reads like a who's who of A-listers, royals, and beauty insiders, all seeking skin that looks naturally radiant, not overly done. — Pooja Shah, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Phrase
The two were cuddled together watching the Eagles take on the Los Angeles Rams as Wyatt, then 4, asked who's who on the field. — Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 30 June 2026 There was a who's who of football (Matthew Stafford, Baker Mayfield, Cooper Kupp, and even Mike Vrabel), and country too (Brad Paisley, Chris Stapleton, Tate McRae, Miranda Lambert, Kimberly Schlapman and others). — Bryan West, USA Today, 4 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for who's who

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1860, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of who's who was in 1860

Rhymes for who's who

See All Rhymes for who's who

Browse Nearby Words

who's counting?
who's who
whoa
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Who's who.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/who%27s%20who. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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